Compare towns
Bath vs Effingham vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($102k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bath | Effingham | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097Lowest |
1,912Highest |
1,595 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Highest 12% above NH |
46.9±12.4 8% above NH |
43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average |
| Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±4.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.9%±2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
23.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.2%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Middleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$76,607±$14k 23% below NH |
$101,696±$8kHighest about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$322,700±$30kHighest 20% below NH |
$312,300±$27k 22% below NH |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309 4% below NH |
$1,090±$121Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,500±$293Highest about the NH average |
| Middleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,163 23% below NH |
$5,504Highest 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
13.6%±40.4 NH: 48.2% |
83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Middleton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
32 min 18% above NH |
39 minHighest 45% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.1%±4.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Bath School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Middleton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.